Birthday Cake
by Jamimlia
Summary: something so simple could be so much more


DISCLAIMER: Don't own Tales of the Abyss~~

**Author's Note: **Happy Birthday to Chang-Tong! I wrote this little one-shot as a present for her! I also wrote this for Tear, because when I went to the Baticul Arena, everyone died except her and she didn't have enough TP (She had about 15), so she **SINGLE-HANDED-LY **took down a **_Dragon_** with half HP!~ YAY TEAR AND LOY!

**NOTE: **I don't know where this takes place. You just have all of the characters and short-haired Luke.

Enjoy your gift, Loy and Tear!~~

* * *

Gailardia woke up the sound of mixing. Someone was scraping contents from a wooden bowl. Guy thought that it might be Tear, preparing a breakfast for everyone. He sat up, ready to help. That was purely his nature. He was surprised, when on the other side of the fire, he saw red hair and a white coat. He approached the midnight-chef with concern.

"Luke, what are you making?" Guy asked, raising an eyebrow in question. Luke jumped a little, then whirled around with a finger to his lips.

"Shh!" The red-haired swordsman hissed. He darted his eyes around frantically, afraid that their sleeping companions might hear. He whispered, lowering the finger, "I'm making a cake for Tear."

Guy suppressed a grin. Everyone except Tear and Luke knew the feelings the two had for each other. If only Luke wasn't so oblivious to that fact, the idiot! Guy shook his head in his mind. Luke went back to making his messy cake.

Ingredients were scattered hither and yon around the young Duke. Eggs, flour, sugar, and baking powder, and bits of chocolate Guy could pick out easily from the mess. Luke had bits of the ingredients themselves in his hair and on his jacket. Guy saw various bowls with contents he didn't know.

"What are those?" Guy squatted down to examine them.

"Buttermilk, vegetable oil, something the chef called vanilla extract." Luke went back to mixing in his wooden bowl. Guy stood up again.

"Is it her birthday?" Guy pondered aloud, using his thoughtful expression.

Luke shrugged, still mixing. "I don't know, but she has to have one, doesn't she? I bought some ingredients and a recipe when we stopped at Daath. I'm giving it to her tomorrow." he softly scraped some extra batter off the spoon with their Foinc Knife. He went back to mixing once more.

Guy smiled. Luke didn't act like it, but he could be very thoughtful and considerate when he wanted to be. Luke stopped mixing, eyed his work, then held it up to Guy.

"Guy, does this look blended and smooth?" He asked. The blend did indeed look smooth. Guy ached to dip his finger in and try it. He did.

"Taste test." he said, tasting the batter. Luke scowled, but didn't object. It did taste good, but it was extremely rich. The kind of rich that made your stomach hurt if you ate too much. Should be good enough for Tear. Guy nodded his approval.

Luke scraped out the mix into a glass pan he had apparently also bought in Daath. It was lined with flour. Luke used his mixing spoon to get all of the batter from the edges. He then covered it with a lid.

"Guy, can you help me put this into the fire?" Luke asked.

Guy did. It was difficult, but they made it. Luke fell down to the ground afterwords, exhausted.

"I have to still make frosting..." Luke muttered. Guy smiled.

"I know how to make frosting." Guy announced quietly. He asked him, "Do we have any salt? I just need a little bit." Luke nodded and searched around his ingredients for the salt while Guy gathered up the other ones he needed.

Guy made the frosting while Luke sat down, asking question while he did, such as, "What's that for?", "Why do you need this?, and finally, "Do you think Tear will like the cake?". Guy started mixing the frosting in his own mixing bowl while he answered, "I think she will. Especially if it's from you."

A visible blush played on the young duke's face. "M-Me? Why does it matter if it's from me?" he stammered.

Guy shook his head. "You really don't get it, do you? I guess you'll find out when you give the cake to her."

Luke's blush died down when Guy announced, "The frosting's done." Luke dipped his finger into the frosting then, seeing Guy's slightly annoyed face, he smiled.

"Taste test." He stuck his finger in his mouth and tasted the frosting. When he was done, he looked at Guy and said in awe, "That is _really _good." He was about to get another bite when Guy smacked his hand away.

"Shouldn't you check on the cake?" He asked, protectively holding his frosting away from Luke. Luke's face changed. "The Cake!" He had completely forgotten about it. He hurriedly pulled it out of the fire and showed it to Guy.

"Is it burnt? Do we need to make a new one?" He asked like he was panicking.

Guy put the Fonic Knife in the middle of the cake, and brought it out. It came out clean.

"It's done. I think you got it out just in time." Guy said.

Luke looked relieved. He placed the cake down then sat down himself. "Now all we need to do is frost the cake and we'll be done!" Guy sensed he felt very pleased with himself.

"Frost a cake?" A feminine voice asked. Luke and Guy glanced around them. They stopped when they saw a pair of bright brown eyes.

"I'm good at frosting cakes. Mama made a lot for Ion." Anise Tatlin said, holding Tokunaga close.

* * *

"Ainse!" Go back to sleep." Luke ordered quietly. Anise pouted.

"Booo! But I want to help frost the cake!" She said.

Luke gestured for her to be quieter. "It's for Tear! Now go back to sleep!"

"Guy's helping!"

"Guy isn't so loud!"

Anise crossed her arms, a sign she's about to pull a trump card. "If you don't let me help, I will wake up Tear _this very minute _and tell her everything." She threatened.

Luke sighed. "Fine. Come help us frost the cake."

"Thank you, Luke!" Anise changed from threatening to happy quickly. She walked over and sat by Guy. Guy automatically moved. Everyone got out their knives, (after the cake had cooled a little, of course.) and started frosting. Anise was very talkative.

"Why are we making Tear a cake?" Anise asked.

"It's got to be her birthday sometime. She never tells us, so I just made her a cake for tomorrow." Luke explained.

Anise smiled evilly. "Are sure that's not the only thing you want?"

Luke looked confused. "What else could I want? I just want her to be happy and celebrate her birthday for once."

Anise and Guy exchanged glances. They didn't say anything, but the same thing was going through their minds.

The continued to frost the cake. When they were done, Luke looked very proud. "We're done!" He was pleased. Guy scraped some extra frosting from the bowl and ate it. It was good frosting.

"Whaaat?" Anise said, almost sounding like she was appalled. "You don't have any frosting toppings! No birthday cake's a birthday cake without sprinkles!"

"I have extra chocolate bits. Will that work instead?" Luke asked, a little worried. Guy shook his head. _He is taking this cake thing way too seriously, _he thought.

"It should." Anise nodded. Luke sprinkled the remaining chocolate all over the cake. Anise squealed.

"It looks perfect! Tear is going to love it!" Anise clutched Tokunaga closer.

"I'm going to love what?"

Everyone was startled when Tear was sitting up in her sleeping bag, looking sleepy as the first rays of dawn escaped behind her

* * *

"Uh...Um..." Luke scratched his head nervously. Anise picked up the cake and showed it to her, exclaiming, "Ta-da! Happy Birthday, Tear!"

Tear's face turned entirely red. "M-My birthday's tomorrow..."

"Really?" Luke said, surprised. Guy was as well. Anise just shrugged and said, "Well, we're celebrating today!" She placed the cake in front of Tear than ran to Jade's sleeping form.

"Colonel! Colonel! Wake up! It's Tear's birthday!" Anise rambled excitedly, shaking the Malkuth Colonel. Guy and Luke both flinched for Anise at the same time.

"I heard. I'll be up in a moment." Jade's voice replied. Anise went over to Natalia and did the same thing. "Natalia! Natalia! It's Tear's birthday!"

"Really?" Natalia sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Oh, my! It is your birthday!" Natalia said, noticing the cake. "Who made you a cake?"

"I did." Luke announced.

"Why, Tear, you have to acknowledge Luke's meaningful gesture in some way." It was Jade who spoke. He sat up and pushed his glasses up.

"Th-Thank you, Luke." She stammered, her face still red.

"No problem." Luke said, smiling. A blush played across his face as well.

* * *

The day went well from then on. Every at the cake, declaring it was superb. Anise instantly provided games for the occasion. Before a race between Guy and Jade, Anise asked, "Where did the birthday girl go?"

Everyone looked around themselves. "Luke's gone as well." Natalia said. Jade looked completely unconcerned.

"We'll leave those two alone for now. It is, after all, Tear's birthday." He said.

Everyone suddenly had a small smile on their face.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I hoped you enjoyed it! Have a happy birthday, Loy!

It would please me if you left a review!

l

l

V


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